Dry concentrator.



l/ E n. n. alnrnnmm 5; DRY GONGENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.24,1911.

1,08351 52. Patented Deo. 30, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

DRY GONCBNTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.24,1911.

Patented DBC. 30, 1913.

3 SHBBTS-SHEBT 2.

aff/2%.?

E. A. STEPHENS. DRY GONGBNTRATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED 00T. 24, 1911.

1,083,1 52., Patented Dee.r 30, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W atto/(M21,

iran sra'rss ELISHA A. STEPHENS, 0F PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR T0INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING & MINING CO., A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

DRY CONCENTRATOR.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ELISHA A. STEPHENS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon,have invented new and useful Improvements in Dry Concentrators, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to dry concentrators for the purpose ofconcentrating ores and separating valuable metals, such as gold, silverand platinum from sand, gravel and crushed quartz without the use ofwater.

The invention has for its object to simplify and improve theconstruction of the jig box and shaker frame and the traps, chutes andair passages forming a part thereof.

A further object is to provide suitably arranged valves for controllingthe passage of air through the ducts or passages and to regulate theflow of air to the individual traps.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and improvedconstruction whereby the air blast will be concentrated in the directionof the undersides of the rifes.

Still further objects of the invention are to simplify and improve thegeneral construction and operation of a machine of the characterdescribed.

lVith these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theclaims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings-Figure l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of amachine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig.-3 is a vertical transverse sectional viewtaken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view, enlarged,of one of the trap Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led October 24, 1911.

Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

Serial No. 656,358.

boxes, the riliies above the same and adjacent parts. Fig. 5 is atransverse sectional view illustrating a modification. Fig. 6 is asectional detail view taken on the line 6 6 in Fig. 5.

Corresponding` parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of reference.

The framework of the machine is supported upon the longitudinal sills 1,and said framework includes uprights 2 and cap beams 3. Supportedlongitudinally upon the sills l .is a casing A having an L-shaped bar ZLmounted upon the outer longitudinal sides thereof and near the upperedges. The horizontal anges of the bars 4L have journaled thereon therollers 5, which engage the horizontal flanges of the L bars La whichare secured to the lower edges of the or shaker frame B. The jig box issupported over the casing A and the rollers 5 afford an anti-frictionalbearing for the jig box to admit of a freely slidable vibration of thesame.

The casing A consists of a suitably constructed casing in the bottom ofwhich is arranged a plurality of horizontal partitions G extending fromthe inlet 7 at the front end of the casing in a rearward direction, saidpartition plates being of different lengths, the length of said platesincreasing from the top downward, and the lowermost plate terminating ata suitable distance from the rear end of the casing. The casing isprovided with a plurality of transverse partitions 8, the lower edges ofwhich are connected with the rear ends of the partition plates 6,thereby dividing the interior of the casing into a plurality oftransverse compartments of substantially equal length but of varyingdepth, the bottom of the rst or forward compartment being formed by theuppermost plate 6, while the bottom of the last or rearward compartmentis formed by the bottom member 9 of the box or casing A. Thus, it willbe seen that the partition plates 6 and the bottom member V9 form aplurality of ducts whereby the several transverse compartments formedbetween the partitions 8 and the front and rear members 10, 11 of thecasing A are individually and independently connected with the inlet 7.The throat or inlet portion 7 of the casing is equipped withtransversely disposed shafts 12, each carrying a valve 13, one suchvalve being disposed in each of the compartments 14, thereby controllingthe passage of air to the transverse compartments of the casing. Thevalve carrying shafts 12 are equipped with cranks 15 having segmentalportions provided with slots 16 that are concentric with the shafts,such slots being engaged by bolts 17 having thumb nuts 1S which may betightened for the purpose of securing the valves in adjusted position.The throat or inlet 7 communicates through an expansion chamber 19 withthe discharge end 20 of a blower 21. The blower 21 is driven by powertransmitted from any suitable source.

Supported in the transverse compartments between the vertical partitions8 are trap boxes 22 increasing in depth from the front rearward, each ofsaid trap boxes being provided adjacent to its lower front edge with anarcuate deliector 23 extending forwardly into the duct 14 with which thecompartment in which such trap box is supported communicates. The trapboxes are provided with inverted V-shaped deflectors 24 extendingthrough openings 25 in the sides of the jig box casing, the projectingends of said deflectors being provided with closed chutes or ducts 26having suitably arranged valves or closures 27 and 23 adjacent to theirlower and upper ends, respectively, the upper valves 28 being disposedadjacent to the outer faces of the side members of the jig box casing.

The jig box or shaker frame B comprises a trough 29 which is inclinedfrom the front in a downward and rearward direction. A hopper 30 issuitably supported to discharge into the upper or front end of thetrough. The latter is provided with transverse slots or apertures 31which are arranged directly above the trap boxes 22, said slots beingobstructed by the riffles which are formed of rods or tubes 32 ofcircular cross section, the ends of which are secured in the sides ofthe trough, said rods or tubes being suitably spaced to permit materialto pass therebetween. These riiiles or screens have been foundexceptionally useful and efficient in connection with a concentrator ofthis class. The under side of the bottom of the trough 29 is providedwith downwardly diver-ging deflectors 33 which extend from the front andrear edges of the apertures 31 and which have their lower edges directedto closely engage the upper extremity of the partitions 8. The jig boxis to be vibrated horizontally with a stroke only about one-eighth of aninch in length and the partitions S and detlectors 33 are to be of sucha thickness as to admit of this vibration without having thecompartments formed by said partitions at any time communicated. As willbe readily understood, the air blast passing between the partitions 8 isdirected and concentrated upon the screened apertures 31 betweenupwardly converging deflectors 33.

The posts or uprights 2 at the front end of the frame structure areprovided with bearings for a shaft 34 which is driven at proper speed bypower derived from any suitable source. The shaft 34 has an eccentricwhich is connected by a link or rod 35 with a bracket 36 upon the frontend of the jig box to which a rapid reciprocatory movement will thus beimparted.

Suitably supported upon the rear end of the jig box adjacent to the tailend of the trough 29 is a box 37 the bottom of which is disposed belowthe level of the bottom of the trough, but is inclined in the oppositedirection, that is to say, in a downward and forward direction. Nuggetsand coarse gold which is of a size that it will not pass through thescreens or rifl'les will be caught in this box and will naturally workby gravity toward the lower end of the box instead of passing with thewaste over the rear end of the box. This feature has been foundextremely valuable in saving coarse gold, which, otherwise, would belost.

Under the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, thetrap boxes 22, instead of being provided with deflectors 24, valves orclosures 27 and 28 and related parts, are equipped each with a suitablysupported head 55 inserted through one side of the casing and adapted toreceive the values passing through the screens. Above each drawergrooves 56 are formed for the -reception of a slide 57 which, when thedrawer is open for the purpose of cleaning up the values, may be placedin an obstruct ing position, as shown in the drawing, Figs. 5 and 6. Itis obvious that inasmuch as only one drawer is usually open at one time,a single slide may be used in connection with all of the drawers, suchslide being moved from one trap box t-o another. The drawers when closedmay be secured in position by means of a bar 53 secured upon the ends ofthe frame structure in obstructing position with reference to thedrawers by suitable means, such as padlocks 59, the bar being providedwith slots 60 engaging hasps or staples 61 upon the frame structure. Bythis simple arrangement it is evident that access to the drawers isprevented except to the iuthorized person who is in possession of a rey.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.Vhen the machine is in operation the blast from the blower will bedirected through the ducts 14, each of which is controlled by anindependent valve. By the deflectors 23 at the lower front edges, of thetrap boxes 22 the air currents will be divided so as to pass equally infront and in rear of said trap boxes and in an upward direction until bythe defiectors 33 the air currents are converged against the undersidesof the screens or ritlles, thereby holding in suspension the materialwhich is being Jred from the hopper 30 to the trough. By the rapidreciprocatory movement to which the jig box is subjected the materialwill be caused to travel down the incline of the trough in a rearwarddirection and will in its passage be subjected to the action of thesuccessive air blasts in issuing through the screens or riitles, thuseecting a very thorough separation, the heavy and valuable particlesbeing permitted to pass through the screens, while the lighter andworthless particles are eventually discharged over the tail end of thetrough, with the exception of such gold as may be too coarseto passthrough the screens, such gold being saved in the box 37. During theoperation, the valves 29 at the lower ends of the chutes are keptclosed. In cleaning up the values the valves 28 are closed, thusobstructing the passage of air, while the valves 29 are opened to permitthe values to escape from the chutes 26, as will be readily understood.

It is obvious that in the construction of the machine any suitablenumber of trap boxes and related parts may be employed.

The general construction of the machine is simple and inexpensive, andit has been found in actual practice to be thoroughly effective for thepurposes for which it is provided.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Adevice of the character described comprising a stationary casing, a jigbox supported upon the top of the casing for reciprocation, means forvibrating the same, the under side of said jig box having upwardlyconverging dellectors, a screen between said deflectors, a compartmentin said casing and arranged under said deflectors, a trap box supportedin the compartment and spaced from the front and rear walls thereof, avalved duct communicating with the lower ends of said compartment, andan arcuate detlector at the lower edge of the trap box.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a casing, a jig boxsupported upon said casing for reciprocation, means for vibrating thesame, a compartment in said casing, said jig box being provided with ascreened aperture, diverging deflectors projecting from the edges ofsaid aperture and disposed over said compartment, a trap box supportedin said compartment and spaced from the front and rear walls thereof, avalved duct communicating with the lower end of said compartment, acurrent dividing delector at the lower front edge of the trap box, andmeans for directing a current of air under pressure into the duct.

3. A device of the character described comprising a stationary casing, avibratory jig box, a plurality of longitudinal partition plates -ogradually increasing length arranged in the lower part of the casing,vertical transverse partitions connected at their lower edges with therear ends of the partition plates, the bottom of said jig box providingan inclined trough having transverse slots, screens obstructing saidslots, inclined deflectors connecting the slots with the upper edges ofthe transverse partitions, trap boxes supported between and spaced fromthe transverse partitions, and means for directing currents of air underpressure into the ducts between the longitudinal par* tition plates.

Af. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a vibratoryjig box, a plurality of longitudinal partition plates of graduallyincreasing length arranged in the lower part of the casing, verticaltransverse partitions connected at their lower edges with the rear endsof the partition plates, the bottom of the box providing an inclinedtrough having transverse slots, screens obstructing said slots, inclineddelectors connecting the slots with the upper edges of the transversepartitions, trap boxes supported between and spaced from the transversepartitions, and arcuate delectors at the lower front edges of the trapboxes extending forwardly between the longitudinal partition plates.

5. A machine of the character described comprising a casing havingtransverse compartments and longitudinal ducts communicating with thelower ends of said compartments, means for supplying air under pressureto the forward ends of the chiots, trap boxes supported in thecompartments and spaced from the front and rear walls of saidcompartments, a jig box supported upon the casin g and providing aninclined trough having transverse slots therein opening in saidcompartments, screens obstructing said slots and current dividingdetlectors at the lower front edges of the trap boxes projecting'forwardly into the ducts.

6. A device of the character described including a movable supportingframe, a stationary casing supported upon one end of said frame, a fanblower disposed upon the other end of the frame, a plurality oflongitudinal ducts disposed in the lower portion of said casing,vertical partit-ions connected to the ends of the ducts and formingvertical transverse compartments within said casing, a throat providedat the front and lower end of said casing and having said ducts extendedtherein, the free end of said throat having its sides converged to forman expansion chamber, said converged ends of the throat being connectedto said fan blower, butterfly valves pivoted within said throat anddisposed within each of said ducts to control the passage of airtherethrough, a jig box supported above said casing and communicatingwith the compartments therein, and means to vibrate said jig box.

7. A device of the character described comprising a stationary casinghaving a plurality of transverse compartments and longitudinal ductscommunicating therewith, said casing having a throat constituting aninlet for said ducts, means for supplying air under pressure into saidthroat, an expansion chamber connecting the supply means with the throatof the casing, a jig box disposed over said casing and means to vibratethe same.

8. A device of the character described including a stationary casing, aplurality of longitudinal partition plates arranged within the lowerpart of said casing, a vertical transverse partition connected at itslower edge with each of said plates, trap boxes supported between saidvert-ical partitions and spaced therefrom, a jig box slidably mountedupon the top of said casing, the bottom of said jig box forming arearwardly declined trough having a series of screened apertures thereindisposed over said trap boxes, downwardly diverging de- Copies of thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing theCommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

